Social Media

Michael Soles encouraged by ALS ice bucket craze

A well-loved former Montreal Alouette is cheering on as the ice bucket challenge raises money for and awareness of ALS, an incurable condition that has tossed a wrench into his life.

Soles was diagnosed with ALS, sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, in 2005 and has spent the last three months at the Montreal Neurological Hospital but he’s not complaining.

“They say you have two or three years to live. When you get diagnosed. But I'm in my eighth year. I'm very, very lucky,” Soles told CTV Montreal.

The ice bucket challenge has been a boon for the quest to find a cure or effective treatment to the fatal, degenerative, neurological condition, as the ALS Association reports that $15.6 million has rolled in this year, about eight times the usual amount.

His kids have also joined in the craze, getting doused simultaneously in icy water as part in the challenge together Tuesday afternoon.

“They found a cure for a lot of things and I think they'll find a cure for this,” said son Anthony Soles.

The Montreal Neurological Institute responded by doing the challenge. Here is their video.